Atter History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Atter

What does the name Atter mean?

The ancient Dalriadan clans of Scotland spawned the name Atter. It is derived from the Gaelic form Mac-an-Tsaoir, which denotes son of the carpenter or wright.

Early Origins of the Atter family

The surname Atter was first found in on the Isle of Iona, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Atter family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Atter research. Another 64 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1372, 1564 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Atter History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Atter Spelling Variations

In the Middle Ages, the translation between Gaelic and English was not a highly developed process. Spelling was not yet standardized, and so, an enormous number of spelling variations appear in records of early Scottish names. Atter has appeared as MacAteer, MacTear, MacTeir, MacTire, MacAtee, MacAtter, MacAttur and many more.

Early Notables of the Atter family

More information is included under the topic Early Atter Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Atter family to Ireland

Some of the Atter family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 80 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Atter migration to the United States +

Many settled along the east coast of what would become the United States and Canada. As the American War of Independence broke out, those who remained loyal to the crown went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of all of these hardy Dalriadan-Scottish settlers began to recover their collective history in the 20th century with the advent of the vibrant culture fostered by highland games and Clan societies in North America. Highland games, clan societies, and other organizations generated much renewed interest in Scottish heritage in the 20th century. The Atter were among the earliest of the Scottish settlers as immigration passenger lists have shown:

Atter Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Atter, who landed in Virginia in 1641 1

Historic Events for the Atter family +

HMS Royal Oak

John Atter, British Leading Seaman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he survived the sinking 2

The Atter Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Per ardua
Motto Translation: Through difficulties.

Sources +

Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html